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Saturday, June 20, 2009

Jimmy Page, Jack White Discuss New Documentary

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and The White Stripes frontman Jack White discussed their involvement in the forthcoming documentary, It Might Get Loud, at a press conference in Los Angeles on Friday, June 19.

The legendary axe men, whose personal musical evolutions are chronicled in the film along with that of U2 guitarist The Edge, talked about what it was like to work with each other for the first time, and why they decided to become involved in the film.

"These days people are getting famous for being famous," White said when asked why he chose to take part in the documentary. "You have to battle against the media to create something soulful. This film lets people dig deeper into the music."

The film, which was directed by Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim ('An Inconvenient Truth'), chronicles the master guitarists' evolution as musicians and illustrates how each one became enamoured of the instrument at a very young age.

"What we all have in common is that we are all self-taught guitarists," said Page. "That's what so fascinating about it. All guitarists have a very different character so there was a lot to learn from each other."

"We were all coming from similar spots where music is generated," added White.

The White Stripes man, who is pictured in the film creating his own stringed instruments and teaching a fictionalised 9-year-old version of himself to play guitar, advised young aspiring musicians to grab whatever instruments they can get their hands on. "Start with whatever you can afford and struggle to find your own relationship with the instrument," he said. "Take (children) to see live music. Put them in a position where they physically can't get away," he laughed.

White, who is currently involved in three bands -- The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather -- is also rumoured to be working on a solo album. When asked if Page might make a guest appearance on the album, White quipped, "Jimmy needs to practice a little more first."

It Might Get Loud made its US debut at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 19. It will be widely released on August 14.